Wild About Math! Making Math fun and accessible

Mathcast #3: Quick multiplication of two 3-digit numbers

Here's the You Tube Video that follows up Mathcast #2: Quick multiplication of two 2-digit numbers. The algebra of cross-multiplication explains how this method is derived.

If you enjoy this video check out all of the Wild About Math! mathcasts.

State of the blog address and goals for 2008

Just two months after starting this blog, and a little over a month after quitting my job to do "something different" I'm finding this creative expression to take on a life of its own in some very exciting ways that I'd like to share.

1. Impress your friends with mental math tricks has become a "runaway bestseller" in a way I never would have imagined and has put Wild About Math! on the map. The Stumbleupon and Digg communities have really taken to this article that I thought was nice but never ever imagined would go viral. In the last 22 hours that article got viewed nearly 46,000 times and I believe it made the front page of Digg. Stumbleupon traffic has resulted in over 75,000 views of this article in the last couple of weeks. Del.icio.us, Mental Floss, and Shoutwire have also brought a significant number of readers to the article.
2. I like to respond to as many comments as possible. I've fallen behind. I intend to catch up as there's some very valuable content in many of the comments.
3. Overall, activity in the blog is buzzing. RSS readers are up. Technorati authority is creeping upward and Technorati blog reactions are increasing, as are the number of comments and email subscribers. I have to admit that while my ego is enjoying the boost, part of me is just a bit overwhelmed. If a small fraction of the visitors from the social networking sites stay I'll be quite happy.
4. I'm enjoying the contact I've made with Tim Fahlberg regarding mathcasts. Tim has introduced me to a couple of people and others have contacted me as well in this regard. I promise I will get back to you once my level of overwhelm drops a bit. I see 2008 as a big year for making Math movies as I believe them to be much more effective at conveying fun and accessiblity than mere text and images and I'd love to help build community among all of us who make mathcasts.
5. I'll continue the focus on simple activities that inspire curiosity about Math in 2008. I'll make more movies about arithmetic tricks, and about innovative ways to enjoy Math.
6. Time permitting, I'll be writing articles about some Math explorations I've personally undertaken and results I've found.
7. I'd like to develop closer relationships with the Math bloggers as there are some outstanding people and great content out there and I've not made the time to connect. So, I'll be making contact in the coming year.
8. I'll be exploring ways to derive some income from the blog. When I quit my job last month I decided I would make a living on the Internet. I just launched a second blog, FederatedSearchBlog.com, for my brother and former employer. I am being paid to write and maintain that blog. For Wild About Math! I will look for corporate sponsors, sell Math-related products that I strongly believe in and explore other sources of producing revenue. I may start a third blog and may build a new web-site specifically designed to produce revenue.
9. On the topic of Internet income, I'm a member of the Blog Mastermind Community founded by an Internet entrepreneur, Yaro Starak. Yaro has an outstanding and highly ethical approach to making money blogging. Studying his free material and then becoming a paying subscriber of his online course and community has really opened my eyes to what it takes to make a living on the Internet. I have to say that it takes quite a bit of work to make money ethically online which is why I focus on ventures I'm passionate about. Yaro is closing the doors to new members of Blog Mastermind on December 10th (my birthday). If you're seriously interested in earning significant income online, contact me, read this letter or check out a sample lesson from the course. Yaro is quite thorough in his education. And, if you are wondering, yes, I earn a commission from Blog Mastermind memberships but I wouldn't advertise a program that hasn't personally benefited me.

I look forward to connecting more with more of you and to sharing the joy of Math!